THE
CLASS
ACTION:
SOME
JONATHAN
S.
ETHICAL
CONSIDERATIONS
ROBERTSON
521
The C l a s s A c t i o n :
Some E t h i c a l
Considerations
"You k n o w t h a t l a n d l o r d s ' f a i l u r e to p a y i n t e r e s t on
t e n a n t s ' d a m a g e d e p o s i t s has c o s t t e n a n t s , in the
aggregate,
large suras of m o n e y each y e a r .
Y o u "believe t h a t this p r a c t i c e
is u n c o n s c i o n a b l e and i l l e g a l .
Y o u w a n t to s t o p it b y r e q u i r i n g
the l a n d l o r d s to p a y d a m a g e s to t h e i r t e n a n t s in the f o r m of
i n t e r e s t on the d e p o s i t s at the a v e r a g e p r i m e r a t e for the
term of the l e a s e .
Y o u have put an a d v e r t i s e m e n t in the
local
n e w s p a p e r a s k i n g any t e n a n t who is i n t e r e s t e d in f i l i n g a s u i t
a g a i n s t his l a n d l o r d on this "basis to come to y o u for free
assistance.
legal
T h r e e p e r s o n s come to y o u r o f f i c e , and you p i c k
the m o s t a t t r a c t i v e and a r t i c u l a t e o n e .
Y o u are t h i n k i n g
of
f i l i n g a class a c t i o n in the name of this i n d i v i d u a l and
all
other t e n a n t s s i m i l a r l y s i t u a t e d , b u t as of n o w y o u have
not
done so and h a v e s i m p l y w r i t t e n to y o u r c l i e n t ' s
threatening
landlord
suit."
This fact s i t u a t i o n p r e s e n t s a n u m b e r of e t h i c a l
W h a t o b l i g a t i o n is there to s e l e c t a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e
Who decides w h e t h e r a c l a s s a c t i o n w i l l be f i l e d ?
questions.
plaintiff?
Has the
b e e n i n f o r m e d of a l l the r a m i f i c a t i o n s of a c l a s s action?
client
May
y o u pick a n o t h e r c l i e n t if this one d o e s n ' t w a n t to file a class
action?
"What h a p p e n s to the o t h e r p e o p l e w h o r e s p o n d e d to the
advertisement?
W h o d e c i d e d w h e t h e r or n o t to settle?
1522
What
b a s i s is used in m a k i n g t h a t d e t e r m i n a t i o n ?
Is it p r o p e r to
a d v e r t i s e to find a n a m e d p l a i n t i f f f o r a c l a s s a c t i o n
How about for additional named plaintiffs?
C a n you
suit?
contact
o t h e r s who m i g h t h a v e an i n t e r e s t in the s u i t and take them
on as c l i e n t s ?
"what if no fee is to be c h a r g e d them
individually?
C a n y o u a c c e p t e m p l o y m e n t f r o m o t h e r s who are c o n t a c t e d
joinder purposes?
ment?
for
C a n p u b l i c i t y be u s e d to h e l p force a s e t t l e -
"who is r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the c o s t s of the c l a s s
C a n l o a n s be m a d e to c l i e n t s f o r l i v i n g e x p e n s e s ?
action?
If a c l i e n t
o r g a n i z e s a c l a s s and c o n t a c t s y o u to take the c a s e , can you?
W h a t if he is to r e c e i v e a c o n t i n g e n t fee f o r h i s e f f o r t s ?
if he has s o l i c i t e d funds f o r e x p e n s e s or y o u r f e e s ?
What
W h a t is
t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n n a m e d p l a i n t i f f and a t t o r n e y in a c l a s s
action?
Can y o u settle a g a i n s t the n a m e d p l a i n t i f f ' s
interest?
If there is a s p l i t in the c l a s s , w h o ' s i n t e r e s t do y o u
H o p e f u l l y , this p a p e r w i l l a n s w e r t h e s e q u e s t i o n s and
s o m e of the f a c t o r s to be c o n s i d e r e d in a n s w e r i n g
support?
discuss
them.
R e f e r e n c e s to E C ' s and D R * s w i l l be to the ABA Code c$f
P r o f e s s i o n a l R e s p o n s i b i l i t y w h i c h in m o s t i n s t a n c e s is the
same as the T e x a s C o d e .
p o i n t e d out and
W h e r e the two c o d e s v a r y , it w i l l be
discussed.
The p r o v i s i o n in F e d e r a l R u l e of C i v i l Procedure- 2 3 ( a ) ( 4 )
t h a t a p r e r e q u i s i t e of a class a c t i o n is t h a t "the
representative
p a r t i e s w i l l f a i r l y and a d e q u a t e l y p r o t e c t the i n t e r e s t s of the
c l a s s " should be c o n s i d e r e d an e t h i c a l o b l i g a t i o n .
DR 7 - 1 0 2 ( A )
(2) p r o v i d e s t h a t an a t t o r n e y s h a l l n o t b r i n g an u n w a r r a n t e d
c l a i m on b e h a l f of h i s c l i e n t .
Seeking class action
523
status
w i t h o u t a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e p l a i n t i f f is the a s s e r t i o n of an
unwarranted claim.
EC 7 - 4 s t a t e s t h a t a l a w y e r is n o t
in a s s e r t i n g a f r i v o l o u s p o s i t i o n .
action with a non-representative
justified
S e e k i n g to m a i n t a i n a c l a s s
p l a i n t i f f is a f r i v o l o u s
p o s i t i o n w h i c h w a s t e s the c o u r t ' s time s i n c e the c o u r t
cannot
c e r t i f y such a c l a s s and if it d o e s , the c e r t i f i c a t i o n
remains
open to a t t a c k at a l a t e r d a t e in the p r o c e e d i n g s .
Another
g r o u n d s for h o l d i n g the r e q u i r e m e n t as an e t h i c a l one is the
a t t o r n e y ' s duty to r e p r e s e n t h i s c l i e n t " z e a l o u s l y " as set out
in C A N O N 7 .
The a t t o r n e y in a c l a s s a c t i o n owes this d u t y to
the c l a s s as a w h o l e s i n c e it is the c l a s s t h a t is r e a l l y the
c l i e n t and u s e of a n o n - r e p r e s e n t a t i v e p l a i n t i f f w o u l d
p r e j u d i c e the
class.
The Code of P r o f e s s i o n a l R e s p o n s i b i l i t y sees the a t t o r n e y c l i e n t r e l a t i o n s h i p as e s s e n t i a l l y a one to one a f f a i r .
and D R ' s were p r o m u l g a t e d w i t h this v i e w in mind and
The E C ' s
don't
a l w a y s work the w a y t h e y w e r e i n t e n d e d to w h e n a p p l i e d to a
d i f f e r e n t sort of b e a s t such as the c l a s s a c t i o n .
In a class
a c t i o n , it is p o s s i b l e to h a v e c o n f l i c t s of i n t e r e s t w i t h i n
the c l a s s .
If an a t t o r n e y a d h e r e s s t r i c t l y to the D R ' s and
u p h o l d s the i n t e r e s t s of the n a m e d p l a i n t i f f , he is b r e a c h i n g
h i s f i d u c i a r y d u t y to the c l a s s as a w h o l e .
On the o t h e r h a n d ,
if an a t t o r n e y t r e a t s e a c h m e m b e r of the c l a s s as a c l i e n t , he
ends u p w i t h h o p e l e s s c o n f l i c t s of i n t e r e s t w h i c h would
h i s w i t h d r a w a l from the c a s e .
force
The o n l y w o r k a b l e v i e w is to
t r e a t the c l a s s as the c l i e n t f o r the c o m m o n p u r p o s e w h i c h
b r o u g h t the c l a s s t o g e t h e r and w o r k f o r the b e s t
524
interests
of the class in r e l a t i o n to this c o m m o n p o i n t .
E v e n t h e n it is
p o s s i b l e for c o n f l i c t s to d e v e l o p e , w h e n some c l a s s m e m b e r s
w a n t a d i f f e r e n t f o r m of r e l i e f or s o m e are w i l l i n g to a c c e p t
a settlement and others aren't.
When this situation
the attorney m u s t d e c i d e w h a t c o u r s e is in the b e s t
of the class and f o l l o w i t .
arises,
interests
A t the same t i m e , h e s h o u l d
inform
the court of t h e c o n f l i c t and the d e c i s i o n he h a s m a d e so "tire
c o u r t can d i s a g g r e g a t e the c l a s s if n e c e s s a r y and a l l o w a
s u b - c l a s s or s u b - c l a s s e s to r e t a i n s e p a r a t e c o u n c i l and
the relief t h e y desire.2
M a n y of the q u e s t i o n s w h i c h
seek
arise
a f t e r a class a c t i o n has b e e n f i l e d as to w h a t is e t h i c a l and
w h a t isn't can be a n s w e r e d by r e m e m b e r i n g that the c l a s s is
the c l i e n t .
In S a y l o r v . L i n d s l e y , 456 F . 2 d 896 (2d C i r
the circuit c o u r t r e v e r s e d the d i s t r i c t court w h i c h had
a s e t t l e m e n t o v e r the o r i g i n a l p l a i n t i f f ' s o b j e c t i o n .
o v e r r u l i n g the d i s t r i c t c o u r t , the c i r c u i t c o u r t
1972),
allowed
While
expressly
refused to c r e a t e a rule t h a t a s e t t l e m e n t o v e r the n a m e d
p l a i n t i f f ' s o b j e c t i o n was i m p r o p e r .
The c o u r t s t a t e d that the
p r o p e r course of a c t i o n w a s to i n f o r m the c o u r t of t h i s w h e n
p r e s e n t i n g the s e t t l e m e n t for a p p r o v a l so that the c o u r t m a y
devise p r o c e d u r e s w h e r e b y the p l a i n t i f f w i t h a n e w
m a y h i m s e l f c o n d u c t f u r t h e r i n q u i r y if so
attorney
advised.
U n f o r t u n a t e l y , the g r e a t e s t c o n f l i c t s of i n t e r e s t are
s e l d o m b e t w e e n m e m b e r s of the c l a s s b u t r a t h e r b e t w e e n
a t t o r n e y and t h e c l a s s .
the
D u e to the n a t u r e of m a n y c l a s s
actions,
the a t t o r n e y s h a v e the s i n g l e b i g g e s t stake in a p o s s i b l e
recovery.
S e t t l i n g the s u i t saves m a n y m a n h o u r s of w o r k
525
and
10
e l i m i n a t e s any r i s k of l o s i n g .
T h e scare f a c t o r of a c l a s s
a c t i o n is quite s u b s t a n t i a l and o f t e n l e a d s to an o f f e r
settlement.
for
E v e n w h e n the o f f e r is f o r a f r a c t i o n of the value
of the c l a i m , it c a n be for a s u b s t a n t i a l a m o u n t of m o n e y , o f t e n
in the m i l l i o n s .
N a t u r a l l y , an a t t o r n e y w h o is e x p e c t i n g a
r e a s o n a b l e p e r c e n t a g e of this r e c o v e r y to be a w a r d e d b y the
c o u r t as a t t o r n e y ' s
fees is g o i n g to w a n t to s e t t l e .
However,
the a t t o r n e y ' s p o t e n t i a l fee is n o t a p r o p e r b a s i s on w h i c h to
d e c i d e to settle a s u i t . 3
The p r o p e r f a c t o r s , a p p r o v e d b y the
2d C i r c u i t in C i t y of D e t r o i t v . G r i n n e l l C o r p . , 495 E . 2 d
(2d C i r 1 9 7 4 ) , a r e :
1) the c o m p l e x i t y , expense and
448
likely
d u r a t i o n of the l i t i g a t i o n ; 2) the r e a c t i o n of the c l a s s to the
s e t t l e m e n t ; 3) the stage of the p r o c e e d i n g s and the a m o u n t of
d i s c o v e r y c o m p l e t e d ; 4) the r i s k s of e s t a b l i s h i n g d a m a g e s ;
5)
the r i s k of m a i n t a i n i n g the c l a s s a c t i o n t h r o u g h the t r i a l ; 6)
the a b i l i t y of the d e f e n d a n t s to w i t h s t a n d a g r e a t e r
judgment;
7 ) the range of r e a s o n a b l e n e s s of the s e t t l e m e n t fund in l i g h t
of the b e s t p o s s i b l e r e c o v e r y ; 8 ) the r a n g e of r e a s o n a b l e n e s s
of the s e t t l e m e n t fund to a p o s s i b l e r e c o v e r y in l i g h t of the
a t t e n d a n t risks of l i t i g a t i o n .
In o t h e r w o r d s , the
possible
g a i n s to the c l a s s , b a l a n c e d a g a i n s t the r e a s o n a b l e n e s s
the o f f e r and the a t t e n d a n t r i s k s of p u r s u i n g the
In the type of c l a s s a c t i o n d i s c u s s e d in the
litigation.
previous
p a r a g r a p h , EC 7 - 7 and EC 7 - 8 h a v e no r e a l a p p l i c a t i o n
the d e c i s i o n s h a v e to be made b y the a t t o r n e y .
because
In t h i s
EC 7 - 9 is very m u c h in p o i n t and the a t t o r n e y should a c t
in the b e s t i n t e r e s t s of his
client.
526
of
situation
always
6
B e c a u s e of the l o s s of c o n t r o l of the a c t i o n and the v a r i o u s
o t h e r c o n s e q u e n c e s t h a t f o l l o w the f i l i n g of a c l a s s a c t i o n , the
a t t o r n e y s h o u l d be p a r t i c u l a r l y c a r e f u l to a d h e r e to EC 7 - 7 and
E C 7 - 8 w h e n d i s c u s s i n g the p o s s i b i l i t y of a c l a s s s u i t w i t h h i s
client.
It is f o r the c l i e n t to d e c i d e if a c l a s s a c t i o n w i l l
be f i l e d , s i n c e the c l i e n t s u r r e n d e r s the s u i t to h i s
and the c o u r t s in d o i n g s o .
attorney
The c l i e n t s h o u l d be f u l l y i n f o r m e d
as to all p o s s i b l e o p t i o n s as s t a t e d in EC 7 - 8 and these
s h o u l d be p r e s e n t e d o b j e c t i v e l y .
outions
To do o t h e r w i s e is to take
a d v a n t a g e of the c l i e n t ' s i g n o r a n c e of t h e l a w .
All
s e t t l e m e n t o f f e r s s h o u l d be b r o u g h t to the c l i e n t ' s
pre-filing
attention
a n d if the c l i e n t w i s h e s to s e t t l e , it is c e r t a i n l y p r o p e r for
h i m to do so s i n c e it is still h i s s u i t a t t h i s p o i n t .
It is
a v i o l a t i o n of D R 7 - 1 0 1 ( A ) ( 1 ) f o r the a t t o r n e y to o p p o s e
the
s e t t l e m e n t if h i s m o t i v e s are a b i g fee or e v e n to change
p o i n t of law t h a t the a t t o r n e y is i n t e r e s t e d
in.
If the a t t o r n e y w e r e to b e c o m e m i f f e d o v e r the
r e f u s a l to b e c o m e the n a m e d p l a i n t i f f
• f i r e d " him
some
client's
in a c l a s s a c t i o n and
the a t t o r n e y would be in v i o l a t i o n of D R 7 - 1 0 1 ( A )
w h i c h s t a t e s t h a t an a t t o r n e y s h a l l n o t " F a i l to c a r r y out
a c o n t r a c t of e m p l o y m e n t entered into w i t h a c l i e n t for
p r o f e s s i o n a l s e r v i c e s , b u t he m a y w i t h d r a w as p e r m i t t e d
DR
2-110, DR
5-102, and DR
5-105."
Only DR
2-110(C)
w i t h p e r m i s s i v e w i t h d r a w a l and n o n e of the s e c t i o n s
under
deals
listed
t h e r e u n d e r give an a t t o r n e y the r i g h t to q u i t b e c a u s e he is
m i f f e d , i . e . , the a t t o r n e y m u s t h a v e good c a u s e or the c l i e n t
m u s t f r e e l y a s s e n t to the w i t h d r a w a l .
A l t h o u g h this
question
i s n ' t raised in the t e x t , it a p p e a r s to me that the
attorney
w o u l d also be b o u n d to r e p r e s e n t t h e o t h e r two r e s p o n d e n t s
h i s a d , on an i n d i v i d u a l b a s i s if t h e y so d e s i r e d .
o f f e r e d free l e g a l a s s i s t a n c e and t h e y
to see h i m .
The
to
attorney
accepted "by c o m i n g i n
T h e r e f o r e , I feel a c o n t r a c t of employment e x i s t s
b e t w e e n them and the a t t o r n e y w o u l d b e v i o l a t i n g D R 7 - 1 0 1 ( A ) ( 2 )
if he refused to r e p r e s e n t e i t h e r of
them.
W a s it e t h i c a l f o r t h e a t t o r n e y to r u n the ad a t all?
At
p r e s e n t the a n s w e r is no u n d e r EC 2 - 9 a n d D R 2 - 1 0 1 ( B ) as w e l l as
EC 2 - 3 .
The p r o f e s s i o n f e e l s v e r y s t r o n g l y a b o u t
advertising,
p a r t i c u l a r l y in t h i s type of case w h e r e the ad is a form of
s o l i c i t a t i o n , as o p p o s e d to m a k i n g k n o w n a v e r a g e f e e s for
standard
services.
It is a r g u a b l e t h a t (if s o l i c i t a t i o n as such w e r e
a n y w h e r e ) s o l i c i t a t i o n s h o u l d be a l l o w e d in the class
area of the l a w .
allowed
action
T h e p u r p o s e of the c l a s s a c t i o n s x a x u t e s
at l e a s t p a r t i a l l y to p r o v i d e a s y s t e m of p r i v a t e
is
attorneys
g e n e r a l to r e d r e s s w r o n g s i n f l i c t e d u p o n the p u b l i c .
Allowing
a t t o r n e y s s e e k i n g n a m e d p l a i n t i f f s f o r s u c h a c t i o n s to s o l i c i t
w o u l d i n c r e a s e the e f f e c t i v e n e s s of the c l a s s a c t i o n s u i t as
a d e t e r r e n t to w r o n g d o i n g a g a i n s t the p u b l i c .
The c l a s s
is p a r t i c u l a r l y w e l l s u i t e d f o r t h i s k i n d of t r e a t m e n t
of t h e l a r g e d e g r e e of j u d i c i a l c o n t r o l w h i c h a l r e a d y
over class action suits.
action
because
exists
The c o u r t c o u l d r e f u s e to c e r t i f y a
s u i t if the s o l i c i t i n g a t t o r n e y had b e e n g u i l t y of " p u f f i n g "
or the c o u r t could r e v o k e the c l a s s a c t i o n s t a t u s at t r i a l if
the a t t o r n e y p r o v e d to be i n c o m p e t e n t .
5*>5D
irwj C 3
T h e r e w o u l d be no
"sellout" p r o b l e m once the s u i t had b e e n f i l e d b e c a u s e
Rule
23(e) d o e s n ' t a l l o w d i s m i s s a l w i t h o u t a p p r o v a l of the c o u r t and
notice to a l l m e m b e r s of the c l a s s or as the c o u r t
directs.
In P h i l a d e l p h i a E l e c t r i c C o . v . A n a c o n d a A m e r i c a n E r a s s
Co.,
42 F . R . D . 324 ( E . D . P a . 1 9 6 7 ) , the c o u r t r e f u s e d to d i s m i s s
the cause w h e r e the n a m e d p l a i n t i f f s and the d e f e n d a n t s
agreed on a s e t t l e m e n t .
had
"With this kind of p r o t e c t i o n and
p o l i c y r e a s o n s b e h i n d the c l a s s a c t i o n r u l e s , if
the
solicitation
is tried a n y w h e r e , it s h o u l d be t r i e d w i t h c l a s s a c t i o n s first.4
There d o e s n ' t a p p e a r to be a d i r e c t e t h i c a l
restriction
a g a i n s t the u s e of p u b l i c i t y s u c h as p i c k e t s or p r o t e s t e r s
w h e n t r y i n g a class a c t i o n or any o t h e r p u b l i c i n t e r e s t
for that m a t t e r .
case
DR 7 ~ 1 0 7 ( G ) ( 5 ) m a y be i n t e n d e d to r e a c h
s i t u a t i o n s b u t I found no i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s of t h a t
these
section.
The p u r p o s e of DR 7 - 1 0 7 is to p r e v e n t p r e j u d i c i a l r e l e a s e s
of
i n f o r m a t i o n p e r t a i n i n g to the t r i a l i t s e l f , e v i d e n c e , the
d e f e n d a n t s b a c k g r o u n d and the l i k e .
A demonstration for lower
rent or s o m e t h i n g s i m i l a r , p r o v i d e d the a t t o r n e y
participate/ w o u l d seem to be o k a v .
didn't
Such a demonstration
p r o b a b l y does v i o l a t e the s p i r i t of D R 7 - 1 0 7 ( G ) and EC 7 - 3 3
in that it c o u l d be p r e j u d i c i a l to the d e f e n d a n t
receiving
a fair t r i a l if it s t i r r e d u p a l o t of p u b l i c s e n t i m e n t , b u t
that's the w h o l e p u r p o s e of h a v i n g the d e m o n s t r a t i o n in the
first p l a c e , i s n ' t i t .
The a n s w e r to w h e t h e r a d v a n c e s of m o n e y are p r o t e r v a r i e s
u n d e r the ABA and Texas C o d e s .
The T e x a s Code w a s
enactea
w i t h o u t D R 5 - l 0 3 ( B ) w h i c h r e s t r i c t s a d v a n c e s of m o n e y to a c l i e n t
529
10
to l i t i g a t i o n e x p e n s e s .
E v e n t h e n , the c l i e n t m u s t
p r i m a r i l y l i a b l e f o r the a m o u n t s i n v o l v e d .
remain
U n d e r the T e x a s
C o d e of P r o f e s s i o n a l R e s p o n s i b i l i t y , it is p r o p e r to l o a n
m o n e y to a c l i e n t f o r e x p e n s e s or even f o r l i v i n g
expenses.
It is a l s o p r o p e r f o r the c l i e n t ' s sole m e t h o d o r r e p a y m e n t to
be o u t of an a w a r d .
T h i s w a s done to c o n f o r m t h e C o d e to
present Texas practice.
The l a n g u a g e of EC 5 - 8 h a s a l s o
been
c h a n g e d from the m a n d a t o r y "must" to " s h o u l d " in s t a t i n s w h e r e
the ultimate liability for trial . expenses should lie.
The
only
r e a l r e s t r i c t i o n on the a d v a n c i n g of m o n e y to a c l i e n t in
T e x a s is t h a t it s h o u l d n ' t o c c u r " w i t h s u c h
publicity,
f r e q u e n c y or n o t o r i e t y as to c o n s t i t u t e i n d i r e c t
of
solicitation
employment.
W h e n the e t h i c s o p i n i o n just q u o t e d f r o m w a s i s s u e d , T e x a s
had no e q u i v a l e n t to C a n o n 10 of the A B A C a n o n s .
U n d e r the
p r e s e n t T e x a s C o d e , D R 5-l03(A_) h a s b e e n e n a c t e d .
the a c u i r i n g b y an a t t o r n e y of an i n t e r e s t in the
as did the old A B A C a n o n 10.
This
prohibits
litigation
It s e e m s to me to be a l i t t l e
i n c o n s i s t e n t to a l l o w an a t t o r n e y to a d v a n c e m o n e y to c l i e n t s
w i t h the only p o s s i b l e s o u r c e of r e p a y m e n t b e i n g the
recovery
in a t r i a l and t h e n say t h a t he c a n ' t a q u i r e a n i n t e r e s t in
the
litigation.
U n d e r A B A I n f o r m a l O p i n i o n 1 2 8 0 , it is a l r i g h t f o r an
a t t o r n e y to r e p r e s e n t a class w h e r e the n a m e d
o r g a n i z e d the c l a s s of his own v o l i t i o n
plaintiff
and s o l i c i t e d
and p o w e r s of a t t o r n e y f r o m the v a r i o u s c l a s s m e m b e r s .
is true even t h o u g h the l a y p e r s o n n e g o t i a t e d a 12%
530
funds
This
contingent
10
fee c o n t r a c t for h i m s e l f w i t h the o t h e r c l a s s m e m b e r s .
The
E t h i c s C o m m i t t e e ' s c h i e f c o n c e r n w a s w h e t h e r the lay p e r s o n
m i g h t be e n g a g i n g in the u n a u t h o r i z e d p r a c t i c e of l a w .
Informal
O p i n i o n 1326 t e l l s us t h a t an a t t o r n e y can s o l i c i t funds
c l a s s m e m b e r s for the p u r p o s e of p a y i n g l i t i g a t i o n
but n o t for his own c o m p e n s a t i o n .
from
expenses
H o w e v e r , the named
plaintiff
( w i t h o u t the a t t o r n e y ' s k n o w l e d g e ) can s o l i c i t funds in h i s
own r i g h t f o r the e x p r e s s p u r p o s e
( m u s t be e x p r e s s ) of
c o m p e n s a t i n g the a t t o r n e y and t h e n it is a l l r i g h t for the
a t t o r n e y to r e c e i v e t h e m .
S t i l l , D R 2 - 1 0 4 ( A ) ( 5 ) p r o h i b i t s an
a t t o r n e y from s e e k i n g e m p l o y m e n t w h e n he c o n t a c t s class m e m b e r s
in r e g a r d to j o i n d e r in the a c t i o n and T E A E t h i c s O p i n i o n
376
tells us that an a t t o r n e y c a n n o t c o n t a c t o t h e r s who may be
a f f e c t e d by a c l a s s a c t i o n and a c c e p t e m p l o y m e n t from
even on a n o n - f e e b a s i s .
I think these class action
them,
opinions
can be r e c o n c i l e d on the b a s i s t h a t s o l i c i t a t i o n is the b i g g e s t
sin of all and we c a n ' t be r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the a c t i o n s of l a y
p e o p l e , unlfess they try to p r a c t i c e law of
531
course.
FOOTNOTES
1.
T . M o r g a n & R . R o t u n d a , P r o b l e m s and M a t e r i a l s
Professional Responsibility, p.271
(1976)
2.
" B e v e l o p ^ m e n t s in the L a w - C l a s s
89 H a r v . L . R e v . 1592 ( 1 9 7 6 )
3.
D a m , "Class A c t i o n s : E f f i c i e n c y , C o m p e n s a t i o n , D e t e r r e n c e ,
and C o n f l i c t of I n t e r e s t " , 4 J . L e g . S t u d . 56 (1975)
4.
S c h o o r , " C l a s s A c t i o n s : The R i g h t to
16 Santa C l a r a L . R e v . 215 ( 1 9 7 6 )
5.
Texas B a r A s s o c i a t i o n E t h i c s O p i n i o n #230 (April
18 B a y l o r L . R e v . 310 ( 1 9 6 6 )
53P
on
Actions"
Solicit",
1959)